Distinct iron isotopic signatures and supply from marine sediment dissolution

William B. Homoky (), Seth G. John, Tim M. Conway and Rachel A. Mills
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William B. Homoky: Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre, European Way
Seth G. John: University of South Carolina
Tim M. Conway: University of South Carolina
Rachel A. Mills: Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre, European Way

Nature Communications, 2013, vol. 4, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Oceanic iron inputs must be traced and quantified to learn how they affect primary productivity and climate. Chemical reduction of iron in continental margin sediments provides a substantial dissolved flux to the oceans, which is isotopically lighter than the crust, and so may be distinguished in seawater from other sources, such as wind-blown dust. However, heavy iron isotopes measured in seawater have recently led to the proposition of another source of dissolved iron from ‘non-reductive’ dissolution of continental margins. Here we present the first pore water iron isotope data from a passive-tectonic and semi-arid ocean margin (South Africa), which reveals a smaller and isotopically heavier flux of dissolved iron to seawater than active-tectonic and dysoxic continental margins. These data provide in situ evidence of non-reductive iron dissolution from a continental margin, and further show that geological and hydro-climatic factors may affect the amount and isotopic composition of iron entering the ocean.

Date: 2013
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:4:y:2013:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms3143

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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3143

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